Personal audio system with earpiece remote controller

ABSTRACT

In a personal audio system ( 100 ), a remote controller ( 120 ) has a touch-sensitive area ( 122 ) and is worn in or by a human ear. A temporal pattern in the area ( 122 ), which is being touched, is detected and used for remotely controlling a device ( 110 ) for personal audio by means of a control signal ( 130 ). This prevents the hassle involved in finding, manipulating and operating a conventional remote control that is typically dangling somewhere along a wire.

The invention relates to a personal audio system comprising a remotelycontrollable device and a controller for remotely controlling the deviceby sending a control signal to the device.

The invention also relates to a controller for remotely controlling apersonal audio device.

The invention also relates to a personal audio device, which is remotelycontrollable by a controller.

A personal audio system as described in the opening paragraph is knownfrom the now ubiquitous mobile audio devices like MP3 players and mobilephones. One particular example of such a system is the iPod MP3 playerfrom Apple as reviewed in c't 2002 Heft 26, pages 132-141,“Plattenmeister” by Peter Nonhoff-Arps, Sven Hansen, and available withproduct no. M8737LL/A (see also http://www.apple.com/ipod/).

This and similar products typically comprise a set of two earpieces alsoknown as ear buds that can be inserted into the ears of the user. Theseproducts typically also include a remote controller for controlling oneor more functions of the device. A plug connects both the remotecontroller and the earpieces with the device, by plugging it into asocket of the device. The remote controller is usually included in thewire somewhere between the earpieces and the plug.

As a result, the remote control has no fixed position but is danglingabout as part of the wire. Hence, when the user wants to use the remotecontrol for e.g. lowering volume, muting, or skipping an audio track orstation, the user first needs to look for the remote controller.Subsequently, the user needs to get hold of the controller. This needsto be done in such a way that the controller has the right orientationfor operating it. Finally, after being confident about the orientationof the controller, the user may try to find and operate the tiny buttonto activate the desired function.

This requires considerable time and attention from the user, which maylead to dangerous situations when the user takes part in traffic.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a personal audiosystem as described in the opening paragraph that does not suffer fromthe above-mentioned drawbacks.

This object is realized in that the controller has an outer surface witha touch-sensitive area, the controller being arranged to besubstantially worn in or by a human ear, the controller being furtherarranged to detect the touch-sensitive area being touched, and to sendthe control signal in response to detecting the touch-sensitive areabeing touched.

The remote controller thus gets a fixed position with respect to theuser in or by the human ear. It is easy to find one's ear. This preventslooking for the remote controller. In addition, the user is not temptedto look at the remote controller, because there is nothing relevant tobe seen for controlling the device. To avoid having to find tinybuttons, merely touching the remote controller somewhere on itstouch-sensitive area operates said remote controller, which detectsbeing touched and subsequently sends the control signal to the device.Also the problem of finding the proper orientation of the remotecontroller is solved by wearing the remote controller in or by the ear,because its orientation becomes fixed with respect to the user.

Advantageously, the controller is arranged to fit substantially in ahuman ear concha, such that the area is accessible for touching when thecontroller is fitted substantially in the concha. This fits in with aparticularly comfortable and popular shape for the earpieces or earbuds. The shape consists of a thick disc containing a transducer and aprotruding part from which a wire extends. When being worn, theprotruding part of the earpiece offers a surface area that is easilyaccessible for touching.

Advantageously, the controller is arranged to detect a temporal patternin the touch-sensitive area being touched, and to send the controlsignal in response to detecting the temporal pattern. In general, thedevice offers a plurality of functions and capabilities. Rather thanhaving more buttons on the remote control that may be hard todistinguish, the single touch-sensitive area is used for controlling theplurality of functions. The temporal pattern is a particularlyappropriate user interface, because it is easy to create temporalpatterns in touching the area rhythmically and because the temporalpatterns can constitute a natural and consistent interface. An exampleis a single short tap for pause/play, double short tap for next track,triple short tap for next artist/album and a long tap for adjusting thevolume.

Advantageously, the outer surface has a further touch-sensitive area,such that the further touch-sensitive area is touched substantially bythe ear when the controller is substantially worn in or by a human ear,the controller being arranged to send the control signal only if thefurther touch-sensitive area is touched. This will prevent theaccidental remote control of the device when the remote controller isnot worm, thus preventing unwanted activation of the device andunnecessary battery exhaustion.

Advantageously, the controller is arranged to send a further controlsignal to the device if the further touch-sensitive area is touched.This makes it, for example, possible for the device to pause playingmusic as soon as the earpiece is taken out and to resume playing musicupon re-insertion.

In an embodiment of the personal audio system according to theinvention, the system comprises a second controller for remotelycontrolling the device by sending a further control signal to thedevice, the second controller having an outer surface with a furthertouch-sensitive area, the second controller being arranged to besubstantially worn in or by a human ear, and the second controller beingfurther arranged to detect a further temporal pattern in the furthertouch-sensitive area being touched, and to send the further controlsignal in response to detecting the further temporal pattern. A secondcontroller fits in with the natural symmetry of the human head. It alsoconsiderably enhances the user interface for controlling the device. Forexample, the symmetry can be exploited in such a way that a long tap atthe left remote controller decreases the volume, but a long tap at theright controller increases the volume.

The above object and features of the present invention will be moreapparent from the following description of the preferred embodimentswith reference to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a system 100 according tothe invention.

FIG. 2 shows an example of an embodiment of the remote controller 120according to the invention.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the functionality offered by an embodiment ofthe system 100 according to the invention.

FIG. 4 shows another example of the functionality offered by anembodiment of the system 100 according to the invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the remote controller 120according to the invention.

FIG. 6 shows an example of a touch detection circuit 124 of anembodiment of the remote controller according to the invention.

Throughout the figures, identical reference numerals indicate similar orcorresponding features. Some of the features indicated in the drawingsmay be implemented in software, and as such represent software entities,such as software modules or objects.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a personal audio system100 according to the invention. The personal audio system 100 comprisesa remotely controllable device 110 and a controller 120 that remotelycontrols the device 110 by sending a signal 130 to the device 110.

The remotely controllable device 110 may be, for example, a device forthe reproduction of audio from storage media like tape, disc, memory,CD, DVD, etc. It may also reproduce audio from signals like radiosignals or packet streams broadcast via media like the air, wirelessLAN, Internet, etc. The audio source may be portable as the device 110,but the audio may also originate from a home audio set. The device 110may also be a communication or messaging device like a mobile phone or apersonal digital assistant. The device 110 has several functions orcapabilities that alter, for example, the reproduction process, like afunction to start playing the next track of a playlist, or jump to thenext channel or station, or change a volume level, or change thereproduction speed, or start or stop a communication session, etc.

The controller 120 is used for commanding the device 110 to perform oneor more of its functions or capabilities. The basic assumption is thatthe device 110 is remote or tucked away in a pocket or clamped to a beltor clothing, such that operating it becomes relatively hard. Thecontroller 120 makes it possible to operate the device 110. Thecontroller 120 is generally wired to the device 110 by means of a wire140 (see FIG. 2) and a plug (not shown) that fits into a socket (notshown) of the device 110.

The remote controller 120 has an outer surface 121, see also FIG. 2. Theouter surface 121 is just the physical outer side of the controller 120.A part of this outer surface 121 is sensitive to being touched and isreferred to as the touch-sensitive area 122. Optionally, the controller120 comprises a second area that is sensitive to being touched, referredto as the further touch-sensitive area 123. The touch-sensitive area 122can be realized in many ways, including a sensor for changes in capacityor induced voltages or currents, a grid of conducting parts betweenwhich changes in resistance are measured and detected, or an ordinarypressure sensor, button or temperature sensor. Another possibility is tomeasure and detect changes in either a passive or an activeelectromagnetic field. With the passive variant, the controller 120relies on, for example, nearby power lines to generate measurable fieldswhen being touched. With the active variant, the controller 120generates an electromagnetic field of its own.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the remote controller 120according to the invention. The touch-sensitive area 122 and the furthertouch-sensitive area 123 are coupled to touch-detecting means 124. Thetouch-detecting means 124 measures the internal resistance of a part ofthe human body that touches the touch-sensitive area 122. FIG. 6 showsan example of a circuit for the touch-detecting means 124. The internalresistance is determined with a voltage divider composed of thetouch-sensitive area 122 and a resistor 129. Without touching, theoutput voltage of the divider will be the supply voltage, but withtouching, the output voltage will decrease. Touching can thus bedetected. The output voltage of the voltage divider 129, 122 is inputfor a buffer 127 that provides a copy of the voltage at its output 128.

The output of the touch-detecting means 124 can be coupled to the inputof temporal pattern analysis means 125. The temporal pattern analysismeans 125 may comprise an A/D-converter (not shown) for converting theanalog output signal of the touch-detecting means 124 into a digitalrepresentation of the output signal. The output signal of the temporalpattern analysis means 125 that represent detected temporal patterns maybe coupled to control signal generating means 126, for generating andtransmitting the control signal 130 and the further control signal 131.

The control signal 130 sent by the controller 120 to the device 110 cantake several forms. One example is that the control signal 130 is anelectric DC current that runs upon closing a circuit between a pair ofconductors in the wire 140. Also several resistance levels between twopins (not shown) of the plug (not shown) may represent several controlsignals. Another example is an electric AC current or voltage with aparticular frequency or frequencies. These frequencies mayadvantageously be above the frequencies perceived by a human ear, so asto be multiplexed on the same wire 140 that carries audio frequencies.Yet another example is a digital electric signal. Wire 140 may carry thecontrol signal 130, but other media like air or fiber could also carryit, especially in the case of an electromagnetic signal.

According to the invention, the remote controller 120 is suited to beworn in or by a human ear. The remote controller 120 may have variousshapes and forms to meet this requirement. It could fit almost entirelyin the auditory canal, much like a miniature hearing aid device, but itcould also have the shape of a more conventional hearing aid device wornbehind the ear cup, or a headset with a band over the head or in theneck, or the shape of a neck strap for carrying the device 110.

FIG. 2 shows an example of an embodiment of the remote controlleraccording to the invention. A particularly comfortable and popular shapeof the remote controller 120 consists of a thick disc containing atransducer and a protruding part from which a wire 140 extends. The discfits in a concha 160 of a human ear 150 and is kept there by friction.The disc may in addition be kept there by the presence of a tragus 170and an antitragus 180, being two cartilaginous edges of the conchal bowl160 of the human ear 150. When being worn, the protruding part of theremote controller 120 offers a surface area 122 that is easilyaccessible for touching.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the functionality offered by an embodiment ofthe system according to the invention. FIG. 4 shows another example ofthe functionality offered by an embodiment of the system according tothe invention. The functionality of detecting temporal patterns offers auser interface that is convenient, logical and consistent.

A basic temporal pattern that can be detected is a short tap, whichconsists of the touch-sensitive area 122 being initially untouched andsubsequently being touched for a short while, and subsequently beinguntouched again. The short while typically lasts between 40 and 300milliseconds. Another basic temporal pattern is the long tap, whichtypically lasts between 400 milliseconds to several seconds. Yet anotherbasic temporal pattern is a repeated long or short tap or anothersequence of long and short taps. AU of these temporal patterns may eachbe mapped to functions or capabilities of the device 110.

The detection of the temporal pattern is preferably insensitive todeviations of the duration of the tap and to the criteria fordetermining being touched, like measured quantity levels and hysteresis.The detection of the temporal pattern may adapt itself to the history ofdetected patterns.

One particular mapping may be, for example, that, in response todetecting a touch and hold, the device 110 gradually adapts a volumelevel as long as the area 122 is being touched. The direction ofadaptation (increasing or decreasing the volume level) can be reversedwith every touch and hold, or with a short tap in between.

The system 100 may comprise two controllers 120, one for each ear of theuser. The temporal patterns detected by the system 100 may depend on theaggregate of each of the four areas of the controllers 120 beingtouched, such that, for example, more exotic functions requiresubstantially simultaneous tapping on both controllers 120.

To provide a consistent user interface with a system 100 with twocontrollers 120, the system may have a function to swap the temporalpatterns between the controllers 120 if the left and the rightcontroller are inserted into the right and the left ear, respectively.This function effectively swaps the remotely controlled functionalitybetween the controllers 120. Assuming that the user always first insertseither controller 120 into, for example, the left ear, the function maybe triggered by determining the controller 120 that is inserted first.

To further enhance the user interface, the device 110 may provideimmediate acoustic feedback in response to being touched. One example ofsuch feedback is providing an audible hum or beep when the area 122 isdetected as being touched. Another example is that the audio feedbackrepresents the activated function of the device 110, for example, byvarying volume, pitch, rhythm or melody or combinations thereof of theaudio feedback. Yet another example of feedback is the use of a recordedor synthesized human voice informing the user about the activatedfunction of the device 110 or about the capabilities of the device 110and how to remotely control them.

The controller 120 may favorably be backward compatible with devicesaccording to the prior art, such that the controller 120 according tothe invention can be plugged in and used with conventional devices.Similarly, the device 110 may be backward compatible with controllersaccording to the prior art, such that the device 110 according to theinvention can still (partially) be remotely controlled from conventionalcontrollers.

In the above description, both the sensing functionality and thedetecting functionality of being touched have been implemented at theremote controller 120. Another possibility, however, is to allocate onlythe sensing part (this is the measurement of a quantity) at thecontroller 120, while allocating the detecting part, in particular thetemporal pattern analysis means 125, at the device 110. This may offeradvantages like reducing the complexity of the remote controller 120,while the device 110 may already have the means to perform thedetection, especially when it is done partially or as a whole insoftware.

The number of wires between the remote controller 120 and the device 110can be reduced by applying a phantom power supply providing power to,for example, the touch-detecting means 124 in the remote controller 120.

The functionality of the remote control may be extended in several ways.

In a first way, the touch-sensitive area is used to detect a tempo ofbeing tapped. The tempo detected may be used to adjust a rhythm of asound, e.g. as transferred by the personal audio system. The tempodetected may also be used to find or select matching content, forexample, a song with a tempo that resembles the tempo detected. Thetempo detected may also be used to adapt the speed of playback of thecurrent music to the tempo detected. The tempo detected may also be usedto enter metadata that pertains to the currently played music, bytapping along in the same tempo. An advantage is that tempo informationmay be entered in a natural way, without being dependent on menunavigation on a player that is relatively hard to operate. Anotheradvantage is that no complex algorithms are required for obtainingmeaningful and accurate tempo information, because relatively simpletime averaging logic suffices.

In a second way, the touch-sensitive area is used for detecting apressure with which the area is touched. When a person presses harder onthe touch-sensitive area of the remote control, more skin contacts thearea. This increases a conductivity and lowers the measured skinresistance. By means of a precise measurement it is possible to sensethese differences in pressure. The pressure may for example be used fora more sophisticated volume and cueing control. An example is changing asetting with a speed that is proportional with the pressure.

In a third way, the touch-sensitive area is used for picking up agesture made on the area with e.g. a stylus or a finger. The remotecontrol may be extended for this purpose with means for detecting agesture, e.g. a laser beetle, a small camera, an IR movement sensor, ora cross-capacitance sensor. The system may be arranged to detect agesture being made on the area. The gesture detected may be used forcontrolling a setting of the system. Examples of a setting are aselection of a next or a previous track, a volume, a position of astereo image, e.g. a panning position, a balance position. The gesturedetected may also be used for controlling a mouse pointer, navigating amenu, entering a tapping pattern, scrolling content on display. Thegesture detected may be a character, like a letter from an alphabet. Thecharacter detected may be used for jumping in a list to an entry with afirst letter corresponding to the character detected. The list maycontain items like contacts, artists, song titles, etc. The gesturedetected may be a user defined gesture for activating a user definedfunction. The gesture detected may be used for user identification bymatching with initials or an autograph. The gesture may extend into twodimensions, e.g. a planar gesture, or it may extend into threedimensions.

In a fourth way, the system may be arranged to operate in a plurality ofmodes, and to switch between the modes. A function that depends on themode may be invoked in response to an input on the remote control. Eachmode may e.g. correspond to an application of the system. The system mayswitch to another application in response to a command of the user, forexample given via the touch-sensitive area Touching the left earpiece,for example, may cause a move through a circular list of applications,and an application may be activated by touching the right earpiece. Alsomultiple applications may be active simultaneously, in which case aspecial command may be used to switch between applications, e.g., holdone earpiece while tapping on the other. Of course, other combinationsmay be used for this. Another way of switching between applications maynot be initiated by the user, but by the system, e.g., on an incomingphone call or some other event. As soon as the incoming phone call isdetected, the ring tone may be sounded, potentially mixed with theactive sound source e.g. MP3 playback. While the incoming phone call iscommunicated to the user, the controls are mapped to the phoneapplication rather than the audio playback application. In the phoneapplication, touching the right earpiece could be mapped on answeringthe call and the left earpiece could be mapped to hanging up. As theuser picks up the call, the playback of the music may be paused.

The personal audio system may include means for rendering video e.g. aaudio/video set, or means for playing a game, e.g. a gaming device, ormeans for communication, e.g. a messaging device or telephone.

It is noted that the above-mentioned embodiments illustrate rather thanlimit the invention, and that those skilled in the art will be able todesign many alternative embodiments without departing from the scope ofthe appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed betweenparentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. Use of theverb “comprise” and its conjugations does not exclude the presence ofelements or steps other than those stated in a claim. Use of theindefinite article “a” or “an” preceding an element or step does notexclude the presence of a plurality of such elements or steps. Theinvention can be implemented by means of hardware comprising severaldistinct elements, and by means of a suitably programmed computer. Inthe device claim enumerating several means, several of these means canbe embodied by one and the same item of hardware. The mere fact thatcertain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims doesnot indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used toadvantage.

1. A personal audio system (100) comprising a remotely controllabledevice (110) and a controller (120) for remotely controlling the device(110) by sending a control signal (130) to the device (110), thecontroller (120) having an outer surface (121) with a touch-sensitivearea (122), the controller (120) being arranged to be substantially wornin or by a human ear (150), the controller (120) being further arrangedto detect the touch-sensitive area (122) being touched, and to send thecontrol signal (130) in response to detecting the touch-sensitive area(122) being touched.
 2. A personal audio system (100) as claimed inclaim 1, characterized in that the controller (120) is arranged to fitsubstantially in a human ear (150) concha (160), such that the area isaccessible for touching when the controller (120) is fittedsubstantially in the concha (160).
 3. A personal audio system (100) asclaimed in claim 1, characterized in that the controller (120) isarranged to detect a temporal pattern in the touch-sensitive area (122)being touched, and to send the control signal (130) in response todetecting the temporal pattern.
 4. A personal audio system (100) asclaimed in claim 3, characterized in that the outer surface (121) has afurther touch-sensitive area (123), such that the furthertouch-sensitive area (123) is touched substantially by the ear (150)when the controller (120) is substantially worn in or by a human ear(150), the controller (120) being arranged to send the control signal(130) only if the further touch-sensitive area (123) is touched.
 5. Apersonal audio system (100) as claimed in claim 4, characterized in thatthe controller (120) is arranged to send a further control signal (131)to the device (110) if the further touch-sensitive area (123) istouched.
 6. A personal audio system (100) as claimed in claim 4,characterized in that the system (100) comprises a second controller(120) for remotely controlling the device (110) by sending a furthercontrol signal (131) to the device (110), the second controller (120)having an outer surface (121) with a further touch-sensitive area (123),the second controller (120) being arranged to be substantially worn inor by a human ear (150), and the second controller (120) being furtherarranged to detect a further temporal pattern in the furthertouch-sensitive area (123) being touched, and to send the furthercontrol signal (131) in response to detecting the further temporalpattern.
 7. A controller (120) for remotely controlling a personal audiodevice (110) by sending a control signal (130) to the device (110), thecontroller (120) having an outer surface (121) with a touch-sensitivearea (122), the controller (120) being arranged to be substantially wornin or by a human ear (150), the controller (120) being further arrangedto detect the touch-sensitive area (122) being touched, and to send thecontrol signal (130) in response to detecting the touch-sensitive area(122) being touched.
 8. A personal audio device (110) which is remotelycontrollable by a controller (120), the controller (120) having an outersurface (121) with a touch-sensitive area (122), the device (110) beingarranged to detect the area being touched, and to activate a function ofthe device (110) in response to detecting the area being touched.
 9. Amethod for remote control of a personal audio device (110), the methodcomprising the steps of: wearing a controller (120) substantially in orby a human ear (150); detecting a touch-sensitive area (122) of thecontroller (120) being touched; and sending a control signal (130) tothe device (110) in response to detecting the area being touched.